Bumper or fender systems are commonly used to protect rails and walls, also known as fascias, in a variety of land and marine applications. In such applications, the fender systems protect the fascias during a collision and impact with moving objects. Such fender systems are commonly employed to protect fascias, such as approach walls, along marine locks from the accidental impact of tows and barges as the tows line up to enter the locks. Current construction typically utilizes an in situ massive, monolithic concrete construction to resist such impact. Unfortunately, although providing a continuous contact surface, such monolithic concrete construction is extremely expensive and difficult to construct and repair. Proposed newer construction utilizes factory-built, lightweight, pre-stressed concrete construction. Such prestressed concrete construction is unable to withstand all ranges of incidental barge contact.
To avoid the high cost associated with monolithic concrete structures, locks can utilize side-by-side contact panels mounted in front of the wall or fascia by pairs of opposing energy-absorbing elements. To provide a "continuous" contact surface, the contact panels are normally hinged together. Although such systems satisfactorily protect the approach wall or fascia, such fender systems have several associated drawbacks. First, because the panels are hinged together, the contact panels are more difficult to install, are more subject to damage, and are more difficult to repair and replace. Second, the pair of opposing energy-absorbing elements mounted between the fascia and the contact panels provide a very abrupt retardation effect during impact with moving barges. This abrupt retardation effect transmits a large percentage of the forces into the approach wall or fascia. Thus, such fender systems require a more substantial approach wall or fascia to absorb such large forces. As a result, the more substantial approach wall required by such fender systems increases the costs associated with such fender systems.
Thus, there is a continuing need for a marine fender system for protecting approach walls or fascias of a lock that is capable of withstanding all ranges of incidental barge contacts while being lightweight, inexpensive, easy to install, repair and replace, and less susceptible to damage.